U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency David Rodgers has awarded approximately $6.6 million in competitive-selected grants for innovative state-level energy efficiency and renewable energy policies and projects.

The DOE-supported, state-led projects will focus on building utility-scale energy capacity from renewables and demand reduction, as well as advanced building energy codes.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Office of Electricity Delivery and Electric Reliability selected nine projects for states to create and implement a policy and regulatory framework that would enable gigawatt-scale clean energy capacity, whether through renewable energy or demand-side reductions.

While no cost share was required, state partners will contribute up to $1.8 million for the projects ranging from regional protocols to evaluate, measure, verify and report demand-side resource impacts to reports addressing key barriers and incentives for building transmission for renewable energy.

Individual state proposed projects for gigawatt-scale clean energy capacity are as follows:

- Colorado will develop a report addressing key barriers and incentives for building transmission capacity for renewable energy. The report will include a set of policy recommendations to address permitting, siting and related environmental issues that represent major barriers to the development of renewable energy and transmission expansion within the region ($397,000).

- Georgia will build on a variety of ongoing activities to create the infrastructure that will enable Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina to integrate clean energy supplies into their electricity portfolio ($257,459).

- Hawaii will establish a policy framework for renewable energy for the grid infrastructure using innovative demand-site management, electrical storage, smart-grid technologies, and electrical transmission and delivery technologies. The grid infrastructure will be specific to the island of Oahu, where over 80% of the state's population resides ($500,000).

- Michigan will develop statewide infrastructure to support Pay-As-You-Save and implement up to four pilot projects under this plan. The grant will be used to create the framework, regulatory environment and policies to make it possible to achieve at least 1 GW of new energy capacity either through demand-side reductions or distributed renewable energy. This strategy will provide consumers with the option to finance cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy measures through a tariff on their utility bill, using a portion of energy cost savings to pay for the capital and financing cost of improvements ($491,100).

- South Carolina will seek to overcome existing barriers for coastal clean energy development for wind, wave and tidal energy projects. The grant will be used to develop studies on transmission, resource validation and regulatory barriers. The grant will also establish the South Carolina Coastal Clean Energy Regulatory Task Force to create a regulatory environment conducive to wind, wave and tidal energy development in state waters ($492,648).

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy

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